Friday, May 15, 2009

Rain stopped England building on its first-day 302 for two against the West Indies on Friday and prevented the tourists bowlers from getting back into the game to try and save the series.

The covers were on the wicket before the scheduled start of play and stayed there as rain swept across the Riverside Ground, forcing the teams to take an early lunch.

The only hope of any play on day two was the forecast of a brighter spell of weather after the tea interval.

Opener Alastair Cook is unbeaten on 126 after sharing in a second wicket stand of 213 with Ravi Bopara on Thursday. Bopara made 108 to become the fifth England test batsman to score centuries in three innings in a row.